Foot-ball card game.



No. 817,191. PATENTED APR. 10, 1906. L. G. ROBINSON.

FOOT BALL CARD GAME.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20. 1905.

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" ATTORNEY No.v 817,191. PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

LG. ROBINSON. FOOT BALL CARD GAME.

APPLIC TION FIL D .20, 1 05. A 3 APR 9 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WITNESSES the gridiron used in regulation foot-ball, ex-

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aprll 10, 1906.

Application filed April 20, 1905. Serial No. 256,639.

To all whom ,it may concern;

Beit known that I, LEONARD G. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot-Ball Card Games, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved card game wherein a series of cards of particular relative significance are used.

The object of my invention is to reproduce minutely the game of Rugby foot-ball,

' posts, within the boundaries of which the ball moves when in lay.

Third, the inesman, consisting of two rods connected by a chain to be used in measuring the movements of the ball over the gridiron. 1

Fourth, in connection with the ball and gridiron, &c., the most indispensable feature is a pack of cards, called the team-cards, to be divided between ersons representing the opposing teams. hese cards regulate the movements of the ball over the gridiron.

Fifth, in connection with the team-cards and also an essential feature of the game I employ a signal-card which may be termed the-ball and linesman.

the key to the team-cards.

The signalcard determines which card or suit may be played at a particular time.

To enable others to understand my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a board or card on whic is laid out a correct representation of cept that perforations are used for locating Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,

' 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 each represent a card of a suit of the pack. Fig. 13 IS a sample of one of the many different styles in which the playing-cards may be printed. Fig. 14 represents the signal-card. Fig. 15 is adetail view of the foot-ball to be used in playin the ame. Fig. 16 is a detail view of the ootall bearing the colors of the team having possessionof the ball. Fi 17 is a transverse section of the foot-bal field on line a; of Fig. 1, showin one of the goal-posts in position. Fig. 18 1s a detail view of two uprights linked together to re resent linesmen.

'The gridiron A, ig. 1, may be made of cardboard, wood, or other suitable material and represents in miniature the regular football field. As the regular field is one hundred and tenyards long, the board is divided by the lines a, which represent 'a distance apart equal to five yards. These lines terminate at the side lines B C and are numbered from eachgoal-lineD and E 5, 10, 15, &c., to the center or fifty-five-yard line. These numbers are reversed on one side, so that they may be easily read by the players located at opposite ends of the gridiron, or, in other words, facing the oal-lines D and E. The eleventh, center, or ty-five-yard line a and also the twenty-fiveyard lines a. and a are made heavier, as shown, so that such lines may be more prominent or cons 'icuous. The distance between these five-yar lines a is subdivided into yards, which yards are represented by the holes I) on the side lines, and also by the holes 0 on the center line F, making one hundred and eleven holes, each hole representing one yard, thus dividm the field from goal-line to goal-line into one undred and ten yards. The center line F is the line on which the ball G, Figs. 15 and 16, is to travel. While any object may be'used to represent the ball, I prefer to em loy a miniature representation of a re ula ion foot-ball to more closely resemble t e regular game. The ball is provided with the pin G, adapted to be inserted in any one of the holes, when holes are used, located on the center line F, and it has the hole (1 in its upper surface to receive the flagstafi H, carrying the colors of the team having possessionof the ball. It will be understood, however, that I do not wish to be confined .to any particular means ICC? whereby the ball may be located on the gridous and ever-changing p'csitions of the ball on a miniature field. Therefore to simplify matters I have arranged the ball to travel in a straight line from goal-line to goal-line without lessening interest in the game.

The goahposts I are similar to the regulation goal-poststhat is, formed like the letter H-and they are set in holes on each of the goal-lines D and E. These goal-posts have no particular use in the game except as completing the appearance of the actual grid- 11011.

The linesmen are represented by the rods J K, Fig. 18, and are connected by the chain L, representing a length equal to five yards. A cord or bar would answer equally as well as a chain. The linesmen are inserted in the holes I) of the side lines B or C and are used for measuring the movements of the ball. It being a rule in foot-ball that on a scrimmage (a play which may be opposed by the team not in possession of the ball) the ball shall be advanced five yards in three consecutive plays or be surrendered to the other team. On every scrimmage, therefore, one linesman- J, for instanceis placed on either side line and on'a line with the ball, and the other linesman K'is placed five yards, or five holes, farther in the direction the ballis to travel. The linesmen then remain stationary until the ball has reached or passed the linesman K for a first down or is lost to the other team.

To carry out the resemblance of this game to the regular outdoor game, the flags used on the ball may represent the colors of some college, school, or club.

The ofiice or object of the cards in my game of foot-ball is the elimination of that personal and physical collision or impact so characteristic of the outdoor game without at the same time eliminating the element 'of personal equation or in any Way detracting from the science or from the interest of the game. The cards direct and regulate the movement of the ball over the gridiron and consist, as before mentioned, of the teamcards, the number of which may be varied, and the signalcard.

In regulation foot-ball we have two classes of plays or modes of putting the ball in play the free plays and the scrimmage plays. The free plays are the kick-off and the goal after touchdown, where the execution of the play must not be interfered with by the opposing team. The scrimmage plays are the goal from field, the punt, and rushing, where, the team not in possession of the ball may after the ball has been put in play do everything to obstruct and to break up the the all is put in play from scrimmage the team in possession of the'ball may try by various means simple or intricate to advance the ball toward the opponents goal-line. To insure in every play the cooperation of every member of the team, a member of the team in possession of the ball, generally the quarterback, after deciding the method and the direction of theattack and before the ball is put in play calls a signal from a set of signals Iplay before it is fully executed. After employ the signal card. The signal-card (shown at Fig. 14) has printed thereon a number, of plays or modes of attack in rushing the ball from scrimmage. The number of these modes of attack or plays may be increased or decreased to 'a considerable extent without changing the general plan of my game. Opposite each of these plays on the signal-card is a series of numbers which is the signal for that play. Every one of these signals will be found on a certain number of the teamcards, and the number of signals on the signal-card determines and corresponds to the number of suits in the team-cards. quently whenever a signal has been called. any team-card having that signal may be played in response to that signal. The captain of the team retains possession of the signal-cardso long as his side has possession of the ball and surrenders it to the captain of the other team whenever the ball is lost.

. While I show signals comprising numbers opposite the plays or modes of attack on the signal-card and corresponding numbers on the suits of the team-cards, I do not wish to be confined to the use of numbers, but hold myself at liberty to use letters, signs, or other known means for signaling.

Assuming that there are sixty-six playingcards divided into eleven suits of six, each card of a suit having the same si nal numbers located in some conspicuous place there-' on, preferably in the up er left and lower right hand corners, then igs. 2 to 12, inclusive, will each represent one card from each of the eleven suits. The numbers in the u per right and lower left hand-corners are t e numbers of the respective cards from 1 to 66. As before stated, regulation foot-ball has five plays or modes of putting the ball in play. Two of these are free plays-that is, their execution cannot be interfered'with by the opposing team-and are used only when their use is required by the rules. They are the kick-off, when the ball is kicked from the Conse- IIC middle of the field, and the goal after touchdown, when the team scoring a touch-down ma add one point to the score by kicking the bal from placement over the cross-bar of the opponentsl oal. The scrimmage plays are used when t e rules do not provide for the free plays. They are rushing, the carrying of the ball, the punt, the kicking of the ball, and the goal from field. The ca tain decides which one of the three he Wil use at a given time. Each of the cards, therefore, contains five laysviz. kick-off, punt, goal after touchown, goal from field, and rushing. These five plays are the regular and only means of utting the ball in play in regulation footall. Around each of these plays or means of putting the ball in play are ouped the possible results of these plays,

0th offensive and defensive. In other Words, each of these five plays is divided into two arts-viz., the offense and the de fense. A l the results of plays that are indicated under offense are to the advantage of the team in possession of the ball. Those indicated under defense are to the advantage of the team not in possession of the ball. Every one of the cards, therefore, may have ten possible values. The value of a card at a iven time is determined in two waysfirst, by the plays used, whether kick-off, punt, goal fromfield, goal after touch-down, or rushing; second, by the part of that play, whether oflense or defense. As to which of the five plays or modes of putting the ball in play shall be used at any time is determined, first, by the rules, as in the kick-off and goal after touch-down; second, by the captain in possession of the ball, as in his choice betweenthe punt, the goal from field, and rushin As regards to whether the offense or efense shall govern a particular play depends whether the one team or the other plays that card. When a card is downed by the side in possession of the ball, the offense regulates that play, and when the team not in possession of the ball plays or downs a card the defense regulates it.

The rules governing this game are the same as those in regulation foot-ball. Any one, therefore, who 1s at allfamiliar with the ame of foot-ball as played by our schools an colleges need little or no further explanation to be enabled to play my game. Any one, however, can readily familiarize himself with and master the game through the perusal of the following ru es and the' illustrationof their principles: Regulation foot ball requires twenty-two players, eleven on a side, including the captains; Inplaying my game any number from two to twenty -two can lay. The captains sit at each end of the fie d or grid-iron A, Fig. 1, facing each other, while the other players are arranged on either side and back of their respective captains. As in regulation football, the game will last seventy minutes, two halves of thirty-five minutes but the captains m'a-agree to make the two periods of play of whatever length they.

choose. When the layers are in their respective positions, t e referee shuffles the pack of cards and deals them one at a time to the respective captains, who in turn deal them to their teams, themselves as well. When the cards are dealt, the referee will toss up for kick-off, and the capbstain winning the toss laces his colors on the all, (see Fig. 16,) whic ball is already placed in the hole on the fifty-five-yard line or center of the gridiron, as shown at Fig. 1. Let it be supposed that the captain winning the toss is stationed at the goal-line D. He puts the ball in play or kicks off by placing one of his cards on the table face up, and the number indicated on said card for the offense on'kick-off will bethe number of yards that the ball is advanced toward the opponents goal-line E. Su pose, l

for instance, e turned over card No. 3, ig. 9, which shows a kick-off of forty-two yards. Then the ball is advanced forty-two yards or holes, which will place the ball in hole 0, within thirte'en'yards or holes of the opponentsgoal-line E. Then the defense or capthe hole (3 three yards beyond the center or fifty-five-yard line toward said goal-line D. If, on the other hand, the defense should happen to play card No. 41, Fig. 6, he would find down, which means that the kick-off could not be run back, but isdowned where the kick-off has left it. Whether the ball has been runback or not it is first down five ards to gain for the team at E receiving the kick-off. When the movement of the ball is stop ed, it is called a down, andwhenever the Eall changes hands it is first down five yards to gain. On any first down the rods J K,-representing the linesmen, are placed 1n holes I) of either of the side line B or C, for instance. Rod J is placed directly opposite the hole c,-where the ball has beenstopp'ed or downed. The other rod K is then carried or placed five yards or holes farther in the. direction that the ball is supposed to travel viz. toward the goal-line D. The ball must now beput in play by one of the scrimmage playsviz., rushing, punt, or goal from field. It is a rule in regulation foot-ball that on the scrimmage the team having possession of the ball must advance it five yards or more, and

if it has not been advanced five yards it must be surrendered-to the other team. As be: fore stated, when the rules do not require the kick-off or goal after touch-down the ball shall be put in play from scrimmage in one of the three wa sviz. rushing punt, or goal from field. Tli

e captain of the team in possession of the ball determines which one of these scrimma e plays he shall use at a particular time. I the captain decides on'thepunt or goal fronufield, he shall first say punt, if that be decided on, or goal from field, if he decides to make that play, before callin a signal from the signal-card. Should he ecide on rushin he may select any mode of attack and cal the signal which is opposite. If,-for example, he decides to make his attack on the left guard,. (see Fig. 14,)he calls for the signal for that play, which is 64 75, 88, 13, which card is No. 4;, Fig. 4. The instant these signal-numbers are called all the players of both teams, including the captains, look over their cards, and the first to find the card containing these numbers im mediately lays it down on the table, face up, w and calls down. The card which has thus of the team in possession of the ball has downed that card the offense of that play regulates the resulting movement of the ball, which shows a again of five yards or holes. If, on the other hand, that card has been downed by a member of the team not in possession of the ball, the defense of that particular play regulates the resulting movement of the ball, which shows no gain, and means that the ball could not be advanced. It is in these scrimmage plays that all of the players have the opportunity of displaying all the qualities of body and mind so essential to success on the foot-ball field. The successful captain will be the one possessmgaknowledge, of the game of foot-ball, displayinggood judgment and ready to do the right thing at t e right time.' The skilled captain will before the game is far advanced learn the strong points of his own team, as well as the Weak points of his opponents, and run his end of the game accordingly. In short, although in this game, as in regulation foot-ball, the element of chance is a very important factor, the team possessing the greater degree of alertness, aggressiveness, good udgment, and good team work Wlll be the w nning team. Should the captain in possession .of the ball find that it has been downed dangerously near his goal, he may find it advantageous to try the punt, the ob]ect of which is to get the ball as far away from his own goal-line as possible. He then selects a signal from the signal-card, which, for example, may be35,62,74,10. He calls that signal after having previously called punt. Let

us suppose that in response to that signalcard No. 1, Fig. 2, is played. If that card is first downedby the offense or team in possession of the ball, it shows a kick of fifty-one yards or holes. The ball G will be advanced toward the opponents goal-line that distance. Should the same card be downed by the other side or defense, both the offense and defense of that play will count, except where 1 the defense says blocked, when the de fense alone counts. For example, let itbe supposed that the ball is on the tWenty-fiveyard line or line a Fig. 1. The ball will then be carried fifty-one holes or yards toward the goal-line D and run back by the defense twenty-five yards, which would place the ball inhole 0 making it first down for the team receiving thepunt. If, on the other hand, signalnumbers 78, 29, 66, 14, had been called, (see card No. 49, Fig. 10,) and this card was played or downed first by the defense, the punt Would be blocked, as noted in defense under punt. The result of this block may be a loss of ball, distance, or both; In this particular case the loss is fifteen yards or holes, which would carry the ball back to the hole 0 or ten-yard line; but the ball is retained by one pack of cards, Which-may consist of any I number of cards divided into suits re ulated by the number of signals on the signa -cards. The number of signals on the'signal-card, and consequently the number of suits in the team-cards, as well as the number of cards in each suit, may be increased or decreased at.

pleasure without in any way changing the game. The only thing to'be considered in making up the number of cards in the pack is to have the right number to make the game interesting. Too few cards would not give sufl'icient variety of plays, and too many would make'th'e pack too bulky to handle. I have therefore chosen the number best suited to give the more common and more representative results of the various plays.

It is not necessary here tostate all of the great variety of plays in regulation foot-ball or to go into minute details or explanations of, the terms used in regulation play, as they will readily be understood by those familiar with the game. My object, as before mentioned, is to provide means whereby the game can be played indoors with all the zest, interest, and enthusiasm that one can experience on the actual gridiron, the only difi erence being the absence of personal cont-act of the players with each other.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A foot-ball-game apparatus, comprisin a diagram laid out to represent a foot-ball field, a miniature foot-ball, means for detachably locating the ball in any part of said field, a single pack of cards having printed thereon the diff erent modes or means for putting the ball in play, a signal-card containing scrimmage plays, and signals for said plays with corresponding signals on the cards of the pack, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a foot-ball-game. apparatus, a diagram representing a gridiron or foot-ball field, a movable miniature foot-ball detachably located thereon, a signal-card, a pack (if cards adapted to be divided between opposing forces or persons representing opposing teams, each card containing five'modes of putting the ball in play, each mode being divided into its offensive and defensive results,

field and be detachably located thereon, a pack of team-cards adapted to be divided between two opposing forces or. persons representing opposing teams, said cards divided into suits, a signal-card having printed thereon a number of plays or modes of attack, signals connected with each of said plays or modes of attack, the suits of the team-cards having corresponding signals thereon, for the purpose set forth.

4. In an apparatus for a game of foot-ball, a pack of team-cards adapted to be divided between two opposing forces or persons representing opposing teams, each card containing five plays or modes of putting the ball in play, viz: kick-01f, punt, goal after touchdown, F goal from field and rushing, around each of these pla sbeing roi'lped the possible results of said p ays, bot ofiensive and defensive, for the purpose set forth.

5. A foot-ball-game apparatus comprising a signal-card having a plurality of signals thereon and a single pack of playing-cards having correspondingsignals divided into as many suits as there are signals on the signalcard, for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Brid eport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 15th day of April, A. D. 1905.

LEONARD e. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. FINN, S. J. CHAFFEE. 

